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European, especially British, porcelain, pottery and china are by and large very well marked as to who made them. The registration mark is another identification tool available to help you decipher when your antique item was made.

The registration mark appears as a diamond shaped mark and gives the EARLIEST possible date of manufacturer. These marks were used on porcelain, pottery and china from 1842 through 1883. The purpose of the mark was to show that the design or shape had been registered at the Patent Office in London and was thereby protected from piracy by other manufacturers for a period of three years.

General Rules for dating marks - There are several general rules for dating ceramic marks, attention to which will avoid several common errors. Printed marks incorporating the Royal Arms are a 19th or 20th century date. Printed marks incorporating the name of the pattern are after 1810. Marks incorporating the word 'Limited', or the abbreviations 'Ltd', 'Ld', etc., denote a date after 1861, and most examples are much later. Incorporation of the words 'Trade Mark' in a mark denotes a date subsequent to the Act of 1862. Inclusion of the word 'Royal' in a firm's title or trade name suggests a date in the second half of the 19th century, if not a 20th-century dating. Inclusion of the abbreviation 'R N' (for Registered Number) followed by numbers denotes a date subsequent to 1883.

Inclusion of the word 'England','Germany','France','Italy' in marks denotes a date after 1891, although some manufacturers added the word slightly before this date. 'Made in England', 'Made in Germany' and so on, denotes a 20th-century date. Use of the words 'Bone China', 'English Bone China', etc., denotes a 20th-century date. Items made in Japan between 1945 and 1953 were required by law to be marked "Made in Occupied Japan." Most European antique and vintage china and porcelain pieces are well marked as to manufacturer whereas U.S makers were hit and miss on marking their pieces.

If your pieces are unmarked, it may be impossible to ever accurately identify the maker. You will have to search for the pattern and see if you can match your pattern to one that has been identified. The library or bookstore may be your best bet although more and more information is on the Internet every day. You could even go to an antique dealer and see what they have to say. Just make sure that when you do that you know that the dealer is true to his or her word and is not telling is a price that would make you sell it to them and then they turn around and sell it for the real price.

Purchased a collection of thimbles, 7 in all, they picture Henry VIII and his six wives, on the back of the thimbles are a few lines depicting. From the description you have given, I'm assuming they are bone or china thimble and that they are the normal thimble shape, I've seen some as the bust or head of the character. I assume the picture you refer to is a decal, little dots when looking thru a magnifying glass. I'm also assuming there is no maker's mark on them, either on the inside of the thimble or on the band.

You did not describe their condition, so I will assume they are in mint, unused condition. If these assumptions are correct then are not Wedgwood or a precious metal. The thimble you have shown me is a modern, Mexican silver thimble. Most examples were made mid-to late 20th Century. It is decorated with applied wirework on the outside. Periodically you will find lettering on the inside of the thimble and this will indicate a maker's mark.

If you do find something that has the similar look to you piece or you think you got the markers mark, period it was made or anything else like that you can always double check your ideas by going be an auction house and having some from there look over your piece and see what they have to say about. You might be right or wrong but at least you can find out more on that piece if you choose to take it to an antique dealer or an auction house.